Ursa & Kalei
by Deep Odyssey
Summary: One bleak night, two missing mothers meet. [Implied Zutara]


Title - **Ursa & Kalei**  
Author - **Deep Odyssey**  
Date - **7/23/07**

**Disclaimer - I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. (I Promise.)**

On a calm, star-filled night, even the grass seemed not able of resisting drifting off, casually letting the wind play with its green blades, flippantly pitching them to and fro. The air, fresh and crisp, was not in fact cold, yet not exactly hot. It was as if a light rain had descended to diminish the scorching heat allied with the season.

And, due to the current hour, only one building remained lit, albeit dimly.

That building, a small pub on the outskirts of an already run down town, seemed to cast a glow akin to that of a jack-o-lantern.

Gloomy and ill-omened.

The dim aura surrounding the structure illuminated the heartbreaking stories of each person who entered, and perhaps even caused the aging and gritty wood planking on each wall unbearable pain. It certainly would seem that way, as its timber moaned every time a draft of air casually passed by.

If only walls could talk as well as howl.

The main occupants of said pub usually consisted of war-torn and frayed soldiers who wanted nothing more than to drink away the scorched, frozen, or impaled faces that scalded their brains. To wash away these unwanted memories of how the world truly was, they swallowed their poison as if it mere water.

Unfortunately, being intoxicated only lasted so long.

However on this night, in a lonely corner, far away from the fallen warriors, (yet close enough to pity them) sat a lone figure. Nothing more than a hooded silhouette against a cob-webbed oil lamp, the only motion that confirmed the figure was among the living was the invariable in and out breathing required for human survival.

Nonetheless, when the door slammed open, the heap of brown fabric could not stop spiraling in surprise to search for possible peril.

(At that, bright blue eyes could be seen through the darkness around them.)

Entering from the open entry appeared a woman. Featuring skin as pale as the moon, and hair as black as the night cloaking it, the newcomer looked like an angelic specter.

Seeing no threat, blue eyes turned back to observing something only he (or she?) could perceive.

Those same eyes closed in agitation at the approaching sound of footfalls.

Silence.

"…May I sit here?"

Reluctant eyes opened and turned to look around the bar. Seeing no other possible option, and refusing to be discourteous (even in such harsh conditions) a sigh departed from the hood, and the covering dipped down in the universal sign for yes.

(Yet, the gesture emitted a more complex answer.)

"Mm. Thank you." The pale skinned woman began to drag a chair to the table, the noise resembling a rusty engine.

Two sapphire orbs winced.

The pale skinned woman noticed this, and stopped moving the chair, opting for picking it up and moving it the rest of the way. Moreover, she took care to not cause friction while sitting down.

Silence ensued for a few moments, the only sound was breathing and the soft whispering of the maroon travel cloak pooling around the newcomer. The bar tender left two frosted mugs resting on the table, muttering about imminent problems.

Not once did the two strangers meet eyes, vigilantly shunning each others gaze. At some point, the un-hooded occupant decided it was unbearable, and conversation, no matter what form, was better than warding off each others view.

"What is your name?" So, she ended it.

Blue eyes froze.

Warily, the two aqua colored pools turned to look creamy amber head on. The two colors met in silent battle, just like the nationalities each represented. One looking for answers. The other, for threats.

The stare ended not long after (though it felt like 112 years) and blue disappeared between eyelids.

Then, tan-chocolate hands (that looked paler than they really should be), slowly surfaced from under a fold of fabric, grasping the obstructing material. The hood fell down like a waterfall, bunching together in the back.

A quick breath was taken from across the table.

There, where most would suppose an old hag, a jagged traveler, or even a scorned soldier, sat a woman of extreme brilliance. Olive skin, and brown hair done up in an intricately simplistic design, were complimented faultlessly by two, more radiant than ever, blue jewels.

Stunned at the image shattering revelation that this was a _woman_, and not an old, reclusive stranger, the pale woman's mouth, while readily agreed to move, refused to make a sound.

Taking no notice of the evident astonishment, the tan woman gave her answer.

"My name is Kalei." Through the cracks of her voice, regret was undeniably present.

The words seemed to snap the pale woman from her stunned state, and she diverted her eyes, ashamed at being so foolish.

"Kalei," she tried it tentatively, as if tasting an exotic food.

"It's beautiful. Sounds Northern." Turning to look back at the woman's eyes, she continued with a smile.

"My name is Ursa."

"Hm. Ursa. It sounds very much like a name of Fire." Kalei eyed Ursa, taking note of her amber eyes, pale complexion, and dark hair. "May I inquire as to why you are so far from home?"

The corners of Ursa's bright red lips slanted downward, and she couldn't help but look away.

"The Fire Nation is no longer my home – I was exiled." When she witnessed the bright blue eyes turned sympathetic, Ursa let out a bitter chuckle. "Don't pity me. It was something I had to do." _To save Zuko…_

The thought brought pain to fiery eyes.

Kalei only nodded.

"Ah."

A second quiet developed on the two like wool on a sheep. Thick and uncomfortable.

For a couple of minutes, Ursa began to say things, getting out an occasional 'Um,' 'Ah,' or 'So,' but never having the courage to conclude. So instead, she decided to examine her drink.

It was hard with such an expressionless look swimming in Kalei's features.

"Do you miss it?"

Ursas' eyes snapped up, fast as a Shirshus' tongue. Her eyes scrutinized the speakers face, looking for any hint of foul-play. She saw none.

"Not it, but them." She said through a sigh, taking a quick sip out of the over-sized mug. "My children. I had two. It-it wasn't so much Azula – who I suspected never really liked me – but it was Zuko." Milky amber eyes glossed over. "Him, I miss very, very much."

Ursa, who once made a silent vow to never cry again, could not stop the tears from falling and it was with a choked voice she asked, "And you? Any children?"

Seeing the diversion for what it was, Kalei opened her mouth to comfort her new acquaintance. She could not locate any obliging terms.

"Y-yes." Kalei stuttered, "I have two children. A boy and a girl, like yourself." She stopped, and when Ursa seemed to calm a bit, she kept going, waving her hand this way and that. "It's been awhile since I've seen them. It was a tragic accident, really. One mistaken identity, one missing person, too much mish-mash to explain in detail." Then, quietly as to say it in secret "I still don't even know exactly what happened."

Kaleis' eyes drifted towards the moon, seeking comfort in the half crescent pearl.

"She was a water bender, my daughter." She continued, eyes never leaving their spot, "I never saw her actually bend anything, but I could just tell – she always loved the moon." And then, mostly to herself, Kalei muttered "I wonder if she found a master yet..."

Following her eyes, Ursa stared at the lunar orb for a moment. Silently she contemplated what this meant as her eyes dried.

So, this stranger before her was a Water Tribe native.

Interesting.

"Both my children were benders," she said, "One – my daughter – was a prodigy. Though it was her I always worried about. She was always…different. Violent.

"My, son however, he was…inept in his fire bending skills. But he…he I was always the most proud of. His heart was that of an elder wolf, always calmly protecting what he could." Looking back at Kalei, whose eyes were still trained on the moon, she said quietly, "If it means anything, I believed him to be fates' mistake, placed in an element of hatred, instead of a place of welcome. He always had a temper of a fire native, but a heart that belonged to a child of Water."

Kalei's eyes shot back towards Ursa's, ablaze with anger, and for a moment, it looked like she was going to start shouting.

How dare a fire nation scum, who took away her home, husband, children, mother, and very_ life_, even consider something so vile to have a kind heart!? A heart of her tribe no less! Ludicrous!

Getting out of her chair so quickly it nearly toppled over, the grating clamor unnoticed, Kalei began to tread away, in long angry strides.

But something made her stop. And she thought back to the war. Back to the pain already caused by such prejudice. To all the soldiers in this bar, all of different lands. And then back to her and this woman, two lonely souls, mourning the loss of their homes, their _families_. And she glanced back into Ursa's stunned, remorseful eyes.

They were so painfully similar to her own.

Glimpsing around swiftly, and seeing that every other inhabitant was currently…_occupied_, she walked up to Ursa (who had stood up out of panic) and hugged her.

Muttering apologies and appreciation, Kalei found herself unable to express how much gratitude she felt towards this fire native at the moment.

"Thank you. Thank you for being so fair. For being so unbiased. For being so _tolerant_."

Then it ended, as quickly as it had come, and Kalei sat herself down, now smiling brightly at the woman (who still looked a bit too pale.)

"Yes, my daughter has a heart of water, and a temper as untamed as the flames of a fire bender. It's a wonder her brother is still alive. I hope Hakoda can handle her!" Kalei said enthusiastically.

Blinking slowly, Ursa's face lit up also, only more tamed, like a dimmed candle that has spent too many nights burning.

"Well then. Maybe these two walking contradictions are meant for each other." Raising her mug, she tipped it. "To Zuko and…?"

"Katara." Kalei was beaming.

"Well then," She waited until Kalei had a hold of her cup, "To Zuko and Katara. May they meet – and maybe even put an end to this godforsaken war!"

"To Zuko and Katara!" Kalei exclaimed, still grinning.

The sound of the glasses meeting was heard all over the bar, and though some were dead drunk, most stared at these two women, these complete strangers, who that night, decided that every nation experienced pain.

And that even in dark times, every nation may experience love.

-End

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A/N: Ah. Gotta love Zutara and all the weird things it leaves you wanting to write. Anyway. review, yeah? It'd help me lots. Plus, you'd feel better about yourself, knowing you helped a poor writer out. 


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